(Newser)
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Donated to the Wounded Warrior Project? You might've helped fund lavish parties for employees rather than veterans in need. A two-part CBS News investigation, based on interviews with more than 40 former employees, finds millions in Wounded Warrior donations have been wasted. "Their mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, but what the public doesn't see is how they spend their money," says Erick Millette, a former employee who suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq. He accuses the organization of "using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money," which is then spent on catered employee parties, fancy restaurants, and so-called team-building retreats at beachside hotels, where bar tabs can reach $2,500. The cost of the charity's four-day annual meeting at a five-star Colorado hotel in 2014: $3 million.

Employees describe CEO Steven Nardizzi arriving to events on a horse or Segway. One time, they say, he rappelled down the side of a building. A former staffer believes the charity wants "to show warriors a good time," but there's no follow up, per CBS. "It just makes me sick," adds Millette. He says Wounded Warriors waits for veterans to call, rather than reaching out to them, though the charity denies that claim. A rep also describes the spending as "the best use of donor dollars to ensure we are providing programs and services to our warriors and families at the highest quality." Tax forms note spending on conferences and meetings spiked from $1.7 million in 2010 to $26 million in 2014, the same amount spent on combat stress recovery that year. Public records also show the charity spends 60% of its budget on vets, compared to up to 96% for other veterans' charities.

Why, why, why and HOW does anyone learn of a story like this and perceive it as an "attack on Veterans." That's not the majority response in comments here, but it's a general theme of many, and I've seen the same in comments elsewhere on this and similar stories. To investigate and call to account the waste, abuse and sometimes outright thievery among leaders of so-called charities that see a small handful of its leaders personally enriched and enjoying wildly absurd benefits is NOT a criticism of or attack upon those who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the public's generosity. A story revealing the lavish spending of a church leader is not an attack on the given faith, or those who attempt to support it. Whether the claimed beneficiaries of a charity are wounded veterans, the poor and disadvantaged, or the victims of a natural disaster, holding charities to account for certain standards is not in any way a reflection on those who need help. The same is true whether the pursuit is support for animals, victims of horrific diseases, or families torn apart by an act of violence and terror. It is possible - and by all accounts absolutely appropriate - to condemn the leaders of the Wounded Warrior organization for letting the costs of administering the supposed charity so far exceed the commonly accepted level of 10% of funds actually raised, and to do this without casting aspersions or blame on those who have or in the future will need exactly the kind of support WWP claims to provide. It's no surprise those accused would try to portray criticisms of them as rhetorical attacks on veterans and wounded veterans. With ludicrous hotel bills, obscene waste and shameful excess, they've already demonstrated a willingness to function as parasites on the bodies of those who have earned our gratitude and support. But when any member of the public, or any passionate supporter of a given cause buys into that nonsense, it's simply another instance of their being used and manipulated by greedy and self-serving con artists.

Luke101

Jan 28, 2016 8:26 AM CST

Nice job Newser Zero stories on the atrocities of the islamonazis in EU. Zero stories of the slaughter of Christians in Syria. Zero stories on the Rape epidemic from muslim monsters in Germany, Sweden, and Holland. No , you just want to tear down the military and it's supporters. Shame

Iso Opto

Jan 28, 2016 6:55 AM CST

A huge disappointment, donors should demand accountability before donating. And I don't mean that we need government to create a new bureaucracy for such. If a charity won't show you how much of each dollar actually reaches the targeted group then do not donate. In today's world Advocacy and Benevolence are industries (businesses) and not all are efficient and some are out right scams. And with the fancy television ads eve a scammer can appear to be legitimate. I sense the TV is often associated with scam charity efforts.